Summer Berry Pudding

While I wouldn’t argue with those who claim that there is no need to ever attempt to improve on or even stray from the basic peach cobbler or strawberry shortcake, it’s a wonderful thing for a game changer to slip into summer dessert reperatoire. Last night, I took a stab at a variation of the Individual Summer Berry Puddings recipe from my new Farmers’ Market Desserts cookbook. As I scraped the last bite from the plate, I was already planning when I was going to make it again. Bright, light and rich with fruitiness, this dish is like bread pudding meets a fresh fruit compote, and there is nothing not to like about that.

Ingredients

3 cups fresh blueberries

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut into fourths

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

5 cups of good white bread with the crusts removed, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

6 cup vanilla or honey flavored Greek yogurt

Directions

Combine berries in a large saucepan, setting aside 1/2 cup of each. Add sugar, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest to the sauce pan and bring to a very low simmer. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the berries begin to soften — about 5 minutes.

Add the breadcrumbs into the berries and stir gently until the bread is thoroughly incorporated.

Spoon into individual ramekins or a large serving bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla or honey flavored Greek yogurt, and top with the fresh berries that were set aside prior to cooking.